Introduction


      The rise of the Black Panther Party in 1966 marked the beginning of a new civil rights movement that is still criticized for it's employment of violent measures. Yet the party represented so much more, focusing on not only self-defense, but also the general elevation of a race through public welfare programs designed and executed by panther members. One must wonder why no one seems to remember the soup kitchens and health clinics. While stories of protests and brutality tend to overshadow human interest stories in most media, something larger was at play. 1966 was host to the rise of the Black Panthers and also the dissent of mainstream press coverage. Integrity disintegrated. The press diverted its intent from proper representation of the Civil Rights Movement in order to cultivate a negative image of the radical Panthers. From 1968 to 1970 the press made the Panthers into monsters through highlighting contradictions with in the movement, belittling it's leaders and emphasizing only the militant characteristics of the party.